Apparatus for lifting massive objects



w. H. JAMESON ET AL 2,449,781 APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTSSept. 21, 1948.

'4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed March 1.8, 1944 Sept.'21,'l9.48. M w.H. JAMESON EI'AL 2,449,781}

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS Original Fil ed March 18, 1944 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 21, 1948. w. H. JAMESON ETAL 2,449,731

APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE QBJECTS Original Filed March 18, 1944 4Sheets-Sheet 3 oooooocoeoeco) afia 4% Sept. 21, 1948. w. H. JAMESON ETAL2,449,781

APPARATUS'FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS Original Filed March 18, 1944 4Sheefcs-SheetA.

F .10. 11. IJyJI 3: Z- X1 Z2 EZelandfiza-fiza Patented Sept. 21 1948APPARATUS FOR LIFTING MASSIVE OBJECTS William Howe Jameson and E. LelandDurkee, Bethlehem, Pa., assignors to Bethlehem Steel Company, acorporation of Pennsylvania Original application March 18, 1944, SerialNo. 527,091. Divided and this application June 5, 1945, Serial No.597,612

This application relates to apparatus for raising and lowering massivewall sections with speed and safety, and is a division of our copendingapplication filed March 18, 1944, Serial No. 527,091, for Wing raisingdevices for floating dry docks.

Dry docks which must be towed for long distances to their finaldestination are sometimes built in a plurality of connectable pontoonsections, the side wing walls of each section being hinged thereon, forgreater stability, to fold inboard during towage.

Such wing walls in the larger sizes of docks.

however, may weigh several hundred tons, and

raising such heavy walls from prone to upright position has heretoforebeen thought to require elaborate compartmentation and piping, poweriulpumps, and complicated signal systems for the controlled submergence andpumping outof the pontoons.

One objectof this invention, therefore, is to provide a relativelyinexpensive mechanical means for raising and lowering massive wallsections.

Another object is to provide simple lifting systems which may beoperated by personnel. without specialskills with a minimum of training.

Still other objects, purposes and advantages of our invention willappear hereinafter in the specification and in the appended claims, andin order to describe the invention more clearly we shall now refer tothe annexed four sheets: of drawings forming apart of the specificationand in which like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure i is a side elevation of a wing wall equipped with wing latch,showing in full lines the initial raising position and in dotted linespositions of the main raise and tensile stages;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the-lower portion of one of the jackingcolumns showing the tension harness; a Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the lower portion of oneof the jacking columns and large compres-- sion jack, the latter beingshown extended in dotted lines in one step of the main raise;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, at the commencement of the tensile stage, ofthe lower portion of one .9 Claims. (Cl. 254--93) 2 of the jackingcolumns with the tension harness applied thereto, with the compressionjack killed and the tensionjacks shown extended in full lines, and themovement of the tension jacks and jacking column shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 9 shows the lower portion of the jacking column with tensionharnessapplied thereto as indicated in Fig.8 but disposed atrig'htangles to said figure with the jacking and guide columns and parts ofthe tension harnessishown in section afterthe initial movement of thetensile stage;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of thewing latch; Fig. 11 is a verticallongitudinal section of the wing latchtaken on the line II--I I ofFigfilZ; Fig. 12 is a transverse sectiono f the wing latch on the lineI2 -I2 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a transverse sectionon the line I3-I3ofFig.10; I 1 Fig. 14is atransverse section on the line I4-I 4 of Fig.10; and Y I I I Fig. 15 is a detail section on the line I5-I5 of Fig.11."1. In the embodiment of our invention shown in Fig. 2, the pontoonisprovidedwitha fiatdeck I, suitably braced at pointsof support andconcentrated load during lifting by the'welded reinforcing bulkheadplates 2, "angle stiffeners 3, and

gusset plates 4. Upon heavy platehinges 5 having pivot pins 6 is pivotedthe rectangular'wing wall I provided with the welded reinforcing T-bars8, 9, l0, and I I, at each corner edge, and with two (or more) doubleweb girder wing latches I2 on the topf ace I3. As shown in Figs. 10 to14, inclusive, each wing latch I2 comprises the pair of web'platesI4,jwelded in spaced parallel relation on back plate I I5, provided withreinforcing fianges and rib plates, and bolted through the lowerbracket-platelfi, the lug I1, and the upper bracket-plate I8 tosaidT-bars B andI I.

Said wing latch I2 is provided also with an upper pin hole l9 and alowerpinhole"20, at the inner sides of which pin holes are the collars 2|tap-bolted to the web plates ,III and support" ing therotating guideframes 22. Said guide frames 22 comprise pairs of substantially squareplates 23 with cut-ofi inner corners 24 and held in suitably spacedrelation by means of r the spacing members 25and 26. Boltedto an outerside of one web plate. It at the upper and lower pin holes are the guidesupports. 21, comprisingcentrally perforated square plates 28 to each ofwhich is welded a projecting pipe 29, slotted longitudinally at 30 andbraced by welded gussets 3L Said guide supports 21 hold the retractableupper and shoe 3'! is the slab 38, upon which slab is mounted the base39 of the large hydraulic jack ll], Said Jack is provided with a valve tl-and inlet l2 for admitting fluid to the inner chamber thereof,

and with a ram or pistonadthhavinga. cap 44. Welded to said cap 44 arethreaded-rods which pass through lugs 46 on the jaclobarrelor cylinder4'! and have the nuts 43 normally run out to the cotters G9 to permitfii'll 'extensionflof' said] Also welded or bolted securely to' piston43. said cap 43 is the short rectangular inner guide 4 the other columnis similarly slacked and re-- pinned.

As the wing is raised the load on the jacks will diminish continuously,until the load is sufiicientlyreduced to permittaising to the next holeand holding on one column, while the second column is pinned olT withits jack closed and the said second jack is pumped up enough to take theentire load. Latch pin 32 in the first column ispulled and the firstcolumn is lowered under no load while the second column and jack arevpumped up under load and the process repeated. .EThiS results inpinningone column in the odd numbered pin-holes only, and the other column inthe even numbered holes.

When the neighborho'o'd of holes I) on the jacking strut is 'r'eache'd';the upper and lower pin holes l9 and column 58 upon which is mounted andadapted to slide freely the long rectangular outer jacking strutorcolumn 5t welded to bracket plates 52' and 5.3-as Figs. 2-,, 3, and 7:to- 9, inclusive. Said rectangular columns-Elli. and '15 lyare; providedwith corresponding sets of ,pi-n-holes '54, spaced longitudinally: aparta little less-than maxi-mum i5 jack-\runout; and adaptedto receive; thelatch pins. 32-: and,-3'3 Azqound said: jackingcolumn His placedath-etensionnharness, 55,. shown in Figs: 2-:to inclu sivetwhioh. comprisestwo channels '56 mounted on saidjacking;column5-l;, reinforcedv by.stiffener bans-51, bolted tolthe bracket, plates 1 53 and a pain0117512135 583; upon-each of which slabs .58 is boltedahydraulic jack59,; witha second pair :of

60, suitably perforated, are held. by movable pins 6]. and-6% towfour,corner .-t.ension1 bars :6 3, which pass therethrough and are providedwith series ofwspacedzz pin-holespfid and .heldtby: pins 65;; in

grooves in slab 38 at the bottom and by: bQlts 65 in rectangular slidingyokerfi 'lyofr-welded or bolted angles, provided with soft wood rubbing:strips flatt t pi All the above-mentioned hydrauli j acks may bevactuated by any. suitable fluid, pumped: by: a

weight, distribution, which stages may Joede scribed; as; follows; (1.)the, main raise; t2) the transition stage and. (3;) the tensile-stage'The i-nitial; stageor ,main raise is accomplished by,.the,twojackingastruts or columnstl; which are :operated by theihyd-raulictjacksAll located between the lower end of said. columns :and. the upper.bearing shoe- 3'], connected by pin [36fto lowerbearing shoe. 35weldedto the deckv I Beginning with theupper latchlpinst2 ofth winglatches |2Yin holes a on'thejacking columns 5I",j'the,wing wallf'l 'israised by means of'the' bottom jacks dllin' succe'zssiv eone-hole"-1i'fts, with said jacks-"49" hydraiilical-ly coupled jtogetherso as to carry-the load equally. "At the top" of each liftthe" loadisheld entirely on one column: and jack whileithe' othercolumnand jackarei'fleeted by pulling said upper latch.- pinl'32,t lowering-thejack ram-and column and pinning the winglatch 12 off to th'e n'exthigher "pi-m hole invthez column, then picking up andiho'ldingzionthattsj'ack while 20 in the wing latches [2 are brought into exactregister with the corresponding holes in the jacking column 5! bycarefully manipulating the xjac-ks ill. The lower l-atch'pins:33sa-rethen driven and, the upper pins 32" withdrawn, and: raisingcontinued from hole-:c with the use of thelower pins *33-only.

.At a'certa-in pointin the gradualuraisingof the wing wall 1 it willreach a point of equilib: rium beyond which itvwillwexertra pullsinstead of a. push on the jacking columns 5l, which must thereafter berestrained with a tensile force throughthe latches-J IZ' instead ofpropelledwith a compressive force. Somewhat below the. point oftheoretical equilibrium, therefore-,the tension hannessn55r=actuatew by'the pairs of hydraulic jacks 59 is attached to each jacking column 5| toease the elevation through the secondor transition; stage without shockor insecurity With the wing wall 1 shown, the transition stagewillbe:between the holes .d and e of the jacking columns 5|. Each wingis raisedin this stage by one jacking column only. This column is jacked 'upbyboth the lower jack A0-and the upper: jacks 59,. with a fixed load-ofabout. l0%- of the total weight ofthe win-g on thejack M1 at allxtimestoguard against sudden overbalance. Ina'ordentovmaintain the specifiedload, ascertainable by apressure gauge (not shown) on said jack. 2 40,excessive pressure being, bled through relief valves (not shown), it isnecessary to vary the load on. the jacks 59 as, the load cnthecolumnr5'l changes- When this ,fi-rst column is being. fleeted, the loadis laid on=thesecond-column,. with the jack flfpushing against slabs 60through-the jacks-:59: under the fixed load, thus making it possible forthe column to take either tensionor compression. By cradling the columnsin this: manner full control over thecmotion of the. wing is assured. atall times-,regardless of the effects-nof wind. or -;wavewaction,.- sincethere is continuously-a. compressive load in the jack workingagainst atensile load in .the tension harness 55.

, Accordingly;the-lower latch pint-33 being withdrawn on the secondcolumn, jacking of' the first, col-tr n y on. its lowerj ask all .is.continued until the slabs 58 bear on the pins 6! in theirpinholes-wiills enstensionebars-63 Pressure onathe jack 40 being held asabove, the upper jacks 59 are bledi suiliciently to allow said-j ack. 4I), to extend and free the slabs 60 from the pins 62, whichlatter.pinsarethenl pulled out and. moved to the pin-aholes .next'above. TIT-he jacksa59 arepumped up untilthe slabs:60 again bear.against! the pins 62 and:- the pins:6"l :ar e1 freed. :Sa-id pinsGina-re withdrawnnand gplacednin" the; nexthighertpinholesron.thewtensicn-balrsifiihw i Still on the first column,its jacks 59 arebled slowlyand jack is simultaneously pumped up untilthe withdrawn latcnpin 331 of the second column registers with the nextabove pin-hole on that column, whereupon the said latch pin 33 isinserted. The jacks 59 of the first column are slacked offfully,,transferring the load from the first column tothe second column,and the latch pin 33 of the first column is pulled back into its guidesupport 21,

Jack 40 of the first column is slacked oil "until the next higherpin-hole inthat column registers with its latch pin 33, which is theninserted, and pins 51 and 62 are moved to the respective next lowerpin-holes 64 in the tension bars 63. Jacks 59 of said first column arepumped up, without moving the column, until the gauge on the jack 40shows proper pressure, and said jack 40 is raised slightly whilebleeding the jacks 59 to free the latch pin 33 of the second column.

, These operations are continued until the win hasbeen raised to thepoint where the latch pins 33 have been inserted in the holes e of bothcolumns. which are now in final tension.

In'the last or tensile stage, after accidental reversals to compressionare no longer possible, both lower jacks .40 go out of service. Theirdrain valves are opened and the nuts 48 are screwed upon the threadedrods welded to the jack caps 44 to prevent further movement of thesejacks or of the inner guide column 50. The pairs of upper jacks 59 inthe tension harnesses 55 together lower the wing to its final seat. Eachjacking column 5! in this stage pulls against the pair of slabs 58 whichinturn react against the pins 61 in the anchored tension bars 63.Holding on said slabs 58 the jacks 59 are run out until the, slab 60 isheld by the pins 62 in the pin-holes next above in said tension bars.After each such increment the load is held on'the slabs 50,

I i The procedure for lowering the wings is in genl eral the reverse ofthe raising procedure just described, The jacking columns 5| and tensionharness 55 are erected in the extended position in whichthey were lastused in raising the wing walls and pinned off to the wing latches l2 atthe hole e. The inside guide Columns 50 are extended with the jacks 40killed" by screwing up the nuts 48 on the threaded rods 45 welded to thejack caps 44. The upper bearing shoe 3'! is pinned by the pin 36 to thelower bearing shoe 35 welded or bolted to the deck I. The foregoingthree stages are then reversed in sequence, until the wing walls areagain lowered to their prone position.

It is within the contemplation of this application that other massiveobjects beside dry dock wing walls may be raised and lowered in asimilar manner by the use of our invention; and in general, although wehave hereinabove shown and described our invention in considerabledetail, we do not wish to be limited to the exact and specificstructures and procedures stated, but may use such substitutes,modifications or equivalents thereof as are within the scope and.

6 spirit of the invention and of the appended claims ,1 i

Having thus described our invention, what we claim asnewand useful anddesire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. A jacking. strut comprising, a load support comprising withdrawablepins, a pivotally movable ,strut fulcrum support, a. jacking columnadapted to engage said pins selectivelyat a plurality of aperturesspaced along its axis and comprising an abutment slab at its lower end,a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support, and ahydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylinder and comprising atits upper exterior end an abutment cap and an upwardly extending guidemember, the said jack ing column being adapted for telescopic engagementwith said guide member and in abutting engagement with said abutmentcap. 5 i 2. A jacking strut comprising, a load suppor comprisingwithdrawable pins, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column adapted toengage said pins selectively at a plurality of apertures spaced alongits axis and comprising an abutment slab at'its lower end, a hydraulicjack cylindersecured to said strut fulcrum support, a hydraulic jack ramoperable within said jack cylinder and comprising at its upper exteriorend an :abutment cap and an upwardly extending guide member, the saidjacking column being adapted for telescopic engagement with said guidemember and in abutting engagement with said abutment cap, tension rodssecured at their lower ends to said strut fulcrum support and comprisinga plurality of apertures spaced along its axis, a tension abutment slabslidable axially of said tension rods, pins selectively engageable insaid apertures to limit upward movement of said tension abutment slab, ahydraulic jack cylinder secured to the upper face of said jacking columnabutment slab, and ahydraulic jack ram o'perable within said jackcylinder and adapted at its upper end to engage the underside of saidtension abutment slab.

3. A jacking strut comprising, a duplex. load support havingwithdrawable pins, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column adapted toengage said pins selectively at a plurality of aperturesspaced along itsaxis and comprising an abutment slab at its lower end, a hydraulic jackcylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support, a hydraulic jack ramoperable within said jack cylinder and comprising at its upper exteriorend an abutment cap and an upwardly extending guide member, the saidjacking column being adaptedfor telescopic engagement with said guidemember and in abutting engagement with said abutment cap, tens-ion rodssecured at their lower ends to said strut fulcrum support and comprisinga plurality of apertures spaced along its axis, a, tension abutment slabslidable axially of said tension rods, pins selectively engageable insaidapertures to limit upward movement of said tens-ion abutment slab, ahydraulic jack cylinder secured to the upper face ofsaid jacking columnabutment slab, and a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jackcylinder and adapted at its upper end to engage the underside of saidtension abutment slab.

4. A jacking strut comprising, a load support having withdrawable pins,guide frames mounted to rotate on said load support, a strut fulcrumsupport, a jacking column slidable within the guide frames and adaptedto engage said. pins aerate-i 7 selectively at a plurality of aperturesspaced along its axis and comprising an abutment: slab at itslower-en'd, ahydraul-ic jack-:cylinder'secured: to said strut-fulcrumsupportand a hydraulic jack ram operable within-said jack cylinder andcomprising at its .upperiexterior end an abutment cap and anupwardlyextending. guide member, the said jacking column" being adaptedfor telescopic engagement '-withsaid::guide'=mem'- ber' and in abuttingengagement with said abut ment cap. a 1

5; A jacking ,strut comprlsing,.a loadrsupport having withdrawable pins,rotatable guide framcsmounted on said-load support, a-strut fulcrumsupport, a jacking column slidable on the guide frames and adaptedto-engage said pinsselect-ively at a plurality of apertures spaced alongits axis and comprising-anabutmcnt slab at its lower end, a hydraulicjackcylinder secured to said strut fulcrum support,- a hydraulic jackram operable within said jackcylinder and comprising at its upperexterior end an abutment cap'and an upwardly extending guide member, thesaid jacking column being adaptedfor'telescopic engagement with saidguide memberand in-abutting engagement with said abutment cap, tension.rods secured at their lower endsto said strut fulcrum support andcomprising a pinrality of apertures spaced along its axis,atension-'abutmentslab slidable axially of saidtension rods, pinsselectively engageable in said apertures to limit'upward movement ofsaid tension abutment slab, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured-to theupper face of saidjackingcolumnabutment slab, and a hydraulic-jack. ramoperable-within said jack cylinder and adapted at its upper end toengagethe underside of said-tension abutment slab. s

6; A jacking strut comprising, withdrawable pins, a strutfulcrumsupport, a jacking column adapted to engage sa-idpins. selectively *ataplurality of apertures spaced alongzits-ax-isand comprising an abutmentslab at. its lower end-,.-a hydraulic jack cylinder secured'to said-strut-:f=ulcrum support, a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jackcylinder and comprising .at.-its upper exterior end an abutment-capandflan upwardly extending guide member,-. the said. jacking columnbeingadaptedfor telescopic engagement with said guide member andiii-abutting engagement with said abutment cap, andbolts forpreventingmovement of the jack ram-when desired.

7 A jacking strut comprising, a -load support comprising Withdrawablepins, a strut fulcrum support, a jacking column. adapted to engage saidpins selectively at a plurality of apertures spaced along its axisandcomprising -an=-abutment slab at'its lowerendya hydraulic jack cylindersecured to said strut fulcrum :support, a hydraulic jackram operablewithin said jack cylinder and comprising at itsupper exteriorend anabutment cap with: hold-down bolts to regu= late the'movement of thejack ram and an upwardly extending guide member, the said-jacking columnbeing adapted for telescopic-engagement with saidguide memberand-insa-butting engagement with said abutment :cap, *tension rodssecured at'their lower ends-tocsaid'stnut fulcrum su port andcom-prising a plurality of apertures spaced along its axis;aten'sioniabut ment slab sli'dable" axially of' said tension r-o'd's,pins selectively engageable in said apertures to limit -.upward movementof said tension 'abut ment slab; a hydraulic ja'ckcylinder secured tothe upperface of said jacking column abutment slab, and ahy'draulicjack'ram operable :within said jack cylinder and adapted at its'u-ppcrend to engage the underside of said tension abut.- mentslab,

a A -ja6lting strut comprising, 'duplex load support having withdrawablepins, guide" frames rotatably connected to said load support, a strutfulcrumsupport, a jacking column slidable on said-guide framesand-adapted to engage-said pins selectively at a plurality ofapertureszspaced along its axis and comprising an abutment sla-b at itslower end, a 'hydraulic jack cylinder se cured to said strut'fulcrumsupport, a; hydraulic jack ram operable within said jack cylin'der-= andcomprising at its upperexteriorend -an -abut ment'cap and an upwardlyextending guid'e'm'em her, the saidjacking column being adapte'd ibrtelescopic engagement with said guide mem-ber and in abutting engagementwith said abutment cap, and -boltsfor limiting themovement'of -the jackram.

9. 'A'jacking strut comprising, a duplexdoad support havingwithdraw'able pins, guide frames adapted to rotate on said load-support,a strut fulcrumsupport, a jacking column adapted to slideon'the guide "frames and to engage said pins selectively at apluralityof aperturesspaced along its axis and comprising anabutmentslab a-t-its lower end, a hydraulic jack cylinder secured to said strutfulcrum support, ahydraulic jack ram operable withinsaidjack cylinderand comprising atits upper exterior end 'an'abutment capwith hold-downbolts to restrict 1 the movement of the jack ram when desiredand anupwardly extending guide member, the said jacb ing column beingadapted'for telescopic engagement with-said guid'e member andin--abuttin'g engagement with said abutment cap, tension rods-secured attheir lower ends to-sailrlstrut fulcrum support and comprising apluralit'y o'f apertures spaced along its ax-is,'a tension-abut mentslab slidable' a-xially of saidtension rods, pins selectively engageablein said apertures to limit upward movement of-saidtension =abutmentslab, a hydraulic'jack cylinder secured-to the upperfaceof said jackingcolumn abutment slab, and a hydraulic jack ram operable within said jackcylinder and adapted at'it-s uppercnd to engage the underside ofsaid'tension-"abut men't" slab;

' HOWE! JAMESON;

E."LELAND DURKEE;

REFERENCES CITED The'following references are ofrecord in" the 'fil'e'ofthis patent:

2,314,539- -Mandl- '23, T1943

